Best oil cooler?

My car currently has jb4 g5 running e85, downpipes, intercooler, intakes, with a cobb and walbro soon being installed. Im looking for a oil cooler that will keep my temps down in all conditions. I basically want to be able to go mid 1xx's sustained without having cooling temps. I Would a big setrab added with the stock cooler do the trick?

We carry a couple but for all out I'd strongly suggest the ER twin oil cooler kit. Proven at the track on race team cars as well as a few hard core local cars that run it. Let me know if you're interested, here's a link:

Adding a bigger core will help but keep in mind that the stock thermostat doesn't crack open until ~220deg IIRC. Solution to this would be to pull the stock t-stat plunger/spring, and run a remote 180deg t-stat; Stock t-stat plunger is located under the 2 bolt cover on the left side of the housing.

Adding a bigger core will help but keep in mind that the stock thermostat doesn't crack open until ~220deg IIRC. Solution to this would be to pull the stock t-stat plunger/spring, and run a remote 180deg t-stat; Stock t-stat plunger is located under the 2 bolt cover on the left side of the housing.

Since the car normally runs north of 220 when under load for extended periods, a lower temp thermostat is not going to do much. Sure, it will open earlier and may provide a bit of buffer, but it doesn't add thermal capacity. What am I missing?

Since the car normally runs north of 220 when under load for extended periods, a lower temp thermostat is not going to do much. Sure, it will open earlier and may provide a bit of buffer, but it doesn't add thermal capacity. What am I missing?

Neil

Sorry I should have been more clear, doing the t-stat delete/swap should be in conjunction with adding a bigger/more cores. You're correct that it won't have much effect if it's pulled with only the stock core.

Why would you change out the thermostat and basically mess with bmw's intended operating temp? Don't you guys think BMW intended the n54/n55 to run at a certain temp? IMO you should beef up your cooling to maintain the normal operating temp under harsher driving conditions but changing the thermostat to run cooler is not necessary.

Why would you change out the thermostat and basically mess with bmw's intended operating temp? Don't you guys think BMW intended the n54/n55 to run at a certain temp? IMO you should beef up your cooling to maintain the normal operating temp under harsher driving conditions but changing the thermostat to run cooler is not necessary.

Agree. You want more cooling capacity while preserving the nature of the system BMW intended for this car, i.e. preserve oil pressure and optimal oil operating temps while increasing cooling capacity through larger oil coolers with larger surface area exposed to better directed air flow. That's why I highly recommend the ER twin oil cooler setup for all out and part of the reason we don't carry others at the moment as I've seen it personally where adding just one oil cooler or just a lower temp thermostat wouldn't come even close to solving the issue in 20 minute mid-summer road course sessions and our ambients up here aren't even that high as some other places.

If you're a road course junkie and want this issue out of the way there's really not 15 ways about it. You need more oil coolers with proper ducting for a problem solved and done with.

I run the ER sport... temps are noticeably lower. Around town 230ish, romping on it long and hard maybe up to 245. Before it may go to 255. And the cool down is much faster with the ER. Haven't been on a track though. When you remove/lower the tstat your temp/viscosity range may increase and you will have to reevaluate oil grade. Plus I think the thought is for oil temp to be at least 212.

I run the ER sport... temps are noticeably lower. Around town 230ish, romping on it long and hard maybe up to 245. Before it may go to 255. And the cool down is much faster with the ER. Haven't been on a track though. When you remove/lower the tstat your temp/viscosity range may increase and you will have to reevaluate oil grade. Plus I think the thought is for oil temp to be at least 212.

That one is a great option just like the ar stage 1 one around the city for spirited driving especially if you don't have an existing OEM oil cooler at all on the car. However, at the road course it just won't suffice. Even with the twin oil coolers if you don't do the ducting you may run into issues depending on the type of the road course and length of the session.

That one is a great option just like the ar stage 1 one around the city for spirited driving especially if you don't have an existing OEM oil cooler at all on the car. However, at the road course it just won't suffice. Even with the twin oil coolers if you don't do the ducting you may run into issues depending on the type of the road course and length of the session.

Really depends on the tuning... I have seen mildly tuned n54s with stock oil cooler run flat out for 20min sessions. I think the sport could work very well with the right setup.

I have the Stett stg2 w/ 180 thermostat and see ~190-195 oil temps as long as I am going > 50mph (not on the track) in stop & go traffic or at stoplights it can get to 220-ish. Never seen above 230 on the street with the stett. Got it up to 255F tuned at the racetrack in 30 minute sessions. I'm an experienced driver so it was being pushed hard.

Really depends on the tuning... I have seen mildly tuned n54s with stock oil cooler run flat out for 20min sessions. I think the sport could work very well with the right setup.

Actually it doesn't and I'm actually speaking from quite a bit of experience with heavily road coursed N54 cars. Sure, at 12-13psi you can run all day around the road course, look at the Dinan guys although they too have an additional oil cooler. Tuning for the road course is very different than tuning for the street or the drag strip, no doubt about that, but given a nice 15-16psi peak in the peak power range and plenty taper in the higher RPMs you'll still be cooking that oil sooner than you know it with just one oil cooler, trust me. In the end, one tune doesn't fit all scenarios/goals/needs and why custom tuned maps always perform better as they're tailored to a particular driving scenario/situation.

This wouldnt be for a road course setup but more of a gumball, cannonball, us express, setup. I want to be able to go what ever speed i want sustained for possibly hours and not worry about temps heating up.

but thanks dzenno that er comp cooler looks great. And yeah ive seen guys who do the lower temp on setup in other cars for stuff like this and it really does nothing because in these conditions the car will never go below those temps anyway. I think the ideal setup however may be keeping the stock oil cooler and adding 2 oilcoolers in the fog light spots (i have a rep m3 bumper) and then also putting a bigger radiator in.

I want to be able to go what ever speed i want sustained for possibly hours and not worry about temps heating up.

Cruising at high speed is very different from a road course situation where the car is under almost constant mid/high RPM and higher load. I think in your case you'd probably be best off with the stage 1 setup from ar design that preserves your existing OEM intercooler and adds a second to it.

I wouldn't personally advise changing out the thermostat on a car that is not a dedicated road course racer.

Stett can build what you need i have there stage 2 also and stay in the same range as dallasboosted. I only street drive and drag so i cant speak on roadcourse temps. They told me they could build whatever i need. might give them a try.

This wouldnt be for a road course setup but more of a gumball, cannonball, us express, setup. I want to be able to go what ever speed i want sustained for possibly hours and not worry about temps heating up.

but thanks dzenno that er comp cooler looks great. And yeah ive seen guys who do the lower temp on setup in other cars for stuff like this and it really does nothing because in these conditions the car will never go below those temps anyway. I think the ideal setup however may be keeping the stock oil cooler and adding 2 oilcoolers in the fog light spots (i have a rep m3 bumper) and then also putting a bigger radiator in.

I really don't know why peoples oil temps are going up under this kind of load. I have sustained 130mph for 10 minutes straight with no temperature rise in the least. The stock OC should be enough for this. Do you have an AT? Maybe that's the issue?

AT or MT? Had oil cooler right? I am not saying it cant happen, I just don't understand the number of people concerned/experiencing this at anything but a road course at 9/10ths+. Like I said, cruising 130mph for 10 minutes, not a budge in temps and I'd feel fine up to 270F or so.

+1 --- Wouldn't there be less deviation in oil temps (and less abuse on the engine) since it's a sustained, high speed run? Especially since you're gonna get A LOT of passive air flow hitting the OEM oil cooler at 100+ MPH.

This is compared against road course where you're driving spirited (lots of aggressive throttle modulation/braking) or 1/4 mile runs (very aggressive burst, no sustained passive airflow for the OEM oil cooler or FMIC to reduce temps).

On the street I don't see anyone needing more than the OEM oil cooler (if they have one) or a single core. Same goes for the drag strip as everyone really should give the car at least ~15min cooldowns in between especially in the high heat of summer.

Sustained high speeds such as Autobahn can also get away on a single oil cooler without issues as this is how all N54s survive in Germany including the 1M. Sustained high speeds doesn't mean under WOT for long periods of time, it just means sustained high speeds. 200kph speeds are normal on Autobahns in Germany and many cars with a lot less potential do that day in/out there. Its the WOT action and tunes built for all out power vs. road course that don't have the appropriate cooling and/or meth to cool IATs down and/or E85 blends to keep cylinder temps down that will get you in trouble with temps.